More C-Checks

Engineering Holding, one of the biggest Russian MRO providers, plans to double the annual rate of C-Check maintenance works. According to its representative, the holding’s hangars run by its subsidiaries in Moscow, Novosibirsk and Mineralnye Vody are fully adequate to the task. They currently conduct heavy maintenance on orders from airlines with seasonal demand.

"In their high season, the operators tend to keep all their flying stock in the sky to earn money. Thus, June to late October is our low season when we are mainly charged with line maintenance with our hangars lying but empty," a representative of the company admits. "This speaks of our potential to step up efforts at least 30%, given some demand in the summer period". As it is, the member enterprises are prevented from hiring extra personnel who would stay idle in summer slack season.

According to holding’s official, agreements with aircraft leasing companies might be one of the solutions to improve hangars occupancy rate, since lessors’ demand for C-check is not seasonal. In September 2013, Engineering entered into this type of agreement with ILFC. Another agreement was signed on the 24th of February 2014 with GECAS that will put the Russian company in its list of approved MRO providers. "We hope to secure maintenance orders when GECAS conducts deals in Russia," the holding representative says. The holding facilities performed 107 C-checks in 2013 against 100 a year earlier. The holding’s representative revealed plans to install the third C-check line in Mineralnye Vody.